Head and socket separable safety fastener



Sept. 14, 1948. 1.1 H. HOPEWELL 2,449,167

HEAD AND SOCKET SEPARABLE SAFETY FASTENER Fi led ma 8. 1946 aINVENTOR zPatented Sept. 14, 1948 HEAD AND soomrr SEPARABLE SAFETY- i FASTENER a aLesterH. HopewelLiBrwk lymNlY.

Application May 8, 194s, SerialNo. 668,275

.3 Claims. (o 2.4 223),

This invention relates to a safety claspparticularly adapted for use inconnection-with jewelry or other articles of adornment such asnecklaces, bracelets and the like.

It is an object of the invention to provide a clasp in which the partsmay be quickly attached and detached, but which provides more than anordinary degree of safety against accidental detachment.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter. ii

A preferred embodiment of the invention selectedfor purposes ofillustration is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a plan view of the clasp in open position.

Figure 2 is a similar view of the clasp in closed position.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an end view of the clasp in closed position.

The drawings are on a greatly enlarged scale showing the clasp asapplied to a necklace. In this case one end of the cord l on which thebeads 2 are strung is fastened to a ring 3 formed in one end of acoupling member consisting of a shank 6i, and an enlarged spherical head5. The other end of the cord 1 is passed through the passage 6 in a plug1 and is knotted at 8 to anchor this end in the clasp.

The plug 1 seats against a shoulder 8 in the cylindrical body member Illand is preferably held permanently in position by spinning the ends ofthe member Ill over the shoulder H of the plug so as to form a retainingflange I2. For all practical purposes the plug functions as an integralpart of the body member and may be considered to be a part thereof. Itis made separately only as a matter of manufacturing convenience inorder to facilitate the drilling of recess l3 hereinafter referred to.

The member ID is provided with a recess l3 of a size to receive the head5, and in order to provide access to said recess, the outer side wall ofthe member I is provided with a circular aperture M of slightly largerdiameter than the head 5 and opening into the recess l3. Likewise, aslot l5 of a width sufiicient to receive the shank 4 is out in the endwall of the member In and opening into the aperture M and the recess [3.

Surrounding the cylindrical body member Ill is a sleeve it one end ofwhich is provided with a pair of oppositely disposed lugs I1, [1 adaptedto engage the shoulder l8, and the other end of which is provided with afiangeii) adapted to engage il pring 23, The spring also bears againstthe shoulder 2| ofthe member iii; The sleeve is movablelongitudinallyalong the member iii forpurposes hereinafter describedtbut isnormally,held in retractedposition as shown by the COmIIJIGSSiOIIOf5131111210.. t a

The side wall of sleeve I6 is also provided with a circularaperture, 22ofa diametersimilar to that ofaperture l land adapted to register there-.with; and the'end Wallis; provided with a slot 22' opening into theaperture ,221 register with the slot lilo; i

The sleeve, Iii is rotatable on: the member lil so that in one positionof rotation the aperture 22 and the slot 22' of the sleeve may bebrought into register with the aperture I l and slot it respectively ofthe member Iii as shown in Figures 1 and 3, while in other positions ofrotation such apertures and slots are out of register as shown inFigures 2 and 4. In Figures 1 and 3 the clasp may be said to be in openposition, for the head 5 and the shank 4 may be freely inserted in orwithdrawn from the member l0, while in Figures 2 and 4 the clasp may besaid to be in closed position for th head 5 of the coupling member islocked in recess l3 by the sleeve IS. The sleeve I6 is made to provide aloose running fit over the member ill, and means are provided to preventaccidental rotation of the sleeve on the member l0. Thus, in theembodiment illustrated, the reduced end portion 23 of member I!) isprovided with oppositely disposed fiats 24, 24' which engage the ends ofthe lugs ll, ll. When it is desired to rotate the sleeve on the member18 to shift from the open position to the closed position or vice versa,the sleeve is moved longitudinally of the member In against thecompression of the spring 20 until the lugs ll, l'l' clear the flats 24,24, at which time the sleeve may be rotated freely. In either the openposition or the closed position, of course, th spring retracts thesleeve to the position shown in the drawings, thus locking the sleeveagainst accidental rotation.

It will be understood that the invention may be variously modified andembodied within the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A clasp comprising a cylindrical body member, a sleeve surroundingsaid body member and rotatable thereon, and a coupling member having ashank and an enlarged head, said body member having an interior recess,an aperture through its side wall opening into said recess,

and adapted to and a slot in its end wall opening into said recess andinto said aperture, said sleeve having an aperture in its side wall anda slot in its end wall opening into said aperture, the aperture and slotof the sleeve being adapted to register 5 with the aperture and slot ofthe body member in one position of rotation of said sleeve with respectto said body member to enable the head of said coiipli'ng inmber tobe insei t'cl in and withdrawrffrom said recess.

2. A clasp comprising a cylindrical body member, a sleeve surroundingsaid body member and rotatable thereon, and a coupi-ingzmemberr-havirrga shank and an enlarged head, said body mam-j rotatable thereon, and acoupling member havlng a shank and an enlarged head, said body memberhaving an interior recess, an aperture through its side wall openinginto said recess, and a slot in its end wall opening into said recessand into said aperture, said sleeve having an aperture in its side walland a slot in its end Wall opening into said aperture, the aperture and[slot fof the sleeve being ada'pted to rgister with 10 the apertureandslot of 'the body member in one position of rotation of said sleeve withrespect te said body member to enable the head of said eoupll-ng memberto be inserted in and withdr awn'from said recess, said sleeve beingmovber having an interior recess, an aperture through 45 ablelongitudinally along said body member,

its side wall opening into said reeesss'ariira siet in its end wallopening into said reeessgazid into said aperture, said sleeve having anaperture in its side Wall and a slot in its end wali 'opening I 20 nalposition of the sleeve thereon, and a spring into said aperture, theaperture and slot of the sleeve being adapted to rgiste' w ith theapertui e ozie position f rotation 6f it "respet to 'said bddy "memberto enabletiie liead ai ber "to -be inserted in rece'ss, -sai d sleevebein movable fir'igitudin'ally along said body member, sedan relativ'erotatio'n between -said sleeve and said body me'nib'er inong-longitudinal position of *the sleeveitl'ieron p t'iv-erot-aitionizin anotlier iengitiidiiral positidn of the sli-ive tfil 'eh.

3. A clasp comprlsing'a cylindrical body niemiber,eaisieevesurroundingasaddibddy member and "rinittir ig such-relaiiieans' t'o pievent relative rotation between said sleeve and lsa' idibody member inone longitudi- "nai'p'osition 6f the sleeve thereon While permittingsii'eh relative rotation in another longitudinormally holding saidsleeve-dulongitudinali'position to: prevent relative rotation -:-between=said -sleeve:an'd said-body member. 7 I

LESTER H. HQPEWELh REFERENCESCIT ED 'z'l he foli'cwirig refereiic'e'sare or lfecoi d i n tl i'e -fil'e of this' patefit:

UNITED STATES PATENTS V Number Name 1 3 42671 Fesler a wJun-e zii, 1 9202305;234 liratz ss-a Dec. 115,?1942 2,335,000 Edwardsaa-ma

